I have no personal dreams as I dream of films: Jaya Ahsan

She turned a year older on July 1, but Jaya Ahsan ��� award-winning Bangladeshi actress, who's found a happy working space across the border, in Tollywood ��� had no special birthday wishes to make. ���Let everyone be happy , and let there be less enmity. That's all I want from the Almighty," she says softly. Excerpts from a chat with the actress, who's wowed audiences with her roles in Aborto and Ekti Bangali Bhooter Goppo and will be seen soon in Srijit Mukherji's Rajkahini.
In recent months, bloggers in Bangladesh have been hacked to death and this is a major threat to the freedom of expression in your home country. Since you have been part of movies that talk about the same issue, is there a fear that your freedom of expression might also be threatened someday?
What happened is tragic and horrifying. Freedom of speech is our birthright and no one can curb that. During the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War, three million people were killed and many women were raped. Our people sacrificed their lives to ensure that as citizens we live with our dignity intact. But sadly, the scene is different today. All progressive people, especially artistes, are feeling threatened by what is happening in Bangladesh.
You are a National Award winning actress from Bangladesh. How welcome have you been made to feel in Tollywood?
(Laughs) With a big warm heart! People in Bengal always made me feel I am one of them, and not an outsider. I am grateful to Tollywood. I am indebted to all the directors, artistes, technicians here. Cinegoers are curious about me and I guess it is a positive sign, which shows that they have warmed up to me.
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Who are the actors you want to work with, apart from the ones with whom you have already shared the screen?
I want to work with Prosenjit Chatterjee and Dev. Apart from that, Ritwick Chakraborty, Parambrata Chatterjee and Saswata Chatterjee, to name a few. Acting opposite non-actors is also a challenge and I would love to take it up if I get the chance.
Do you think Tollywood has been able to exploit your potential to the fullest?
No. It is not possible to do that in a short period. I have just started my career here and I have to prove myself. I have a long way to go and I am just at the starting point.I am waiting for a challenging role to prove my worth.Directors here fear to take risks and after Aborto I kept getting offers for similar characters. So, I took a break. Then Srijit Mukherji offered me a fascinating role in Rajkahini and I just grabbed it. So, let the audience decide after watching this film what Jaya Ashan can do as an actor! I want to act in different kinds of roles, so that I too can experiment with my acting. In Bangladesh, directors cast me in different roles as they probably know I will not disappoint them. In an upcoming film in Bangladesh, I play a character who works in a circus. I also play a female superhero in another film.
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From time to time, you stay alone in Kolkata. So, what do you do when you are not shooting?
I love to spend time with myself. From the window of my bedroom, I can see a gulmohar tree and I can spend hours just at looking at it. I walk down the roads, watch people on the move and try to explore every corner of Kolkata. Plus, I love to listen to music, so my iPod is always with me. Added to that, I have a few friends here, with whom we have adda for hours.
Who are your friends in the industry?
I would love to think everyone is my friend here (smiles). After working with 11 actresses in Rajkahini, I have developed a special bond with them. It is pure, where there is only friendship, love and no enmity and I treasure that.

You are known for your noncommercial movies in Bangladesh and the projects you have been part of in Tollywood ��� Aborto, Rajkahini and Ekti Bangali Bhooter Goppo ��� are also not mainstream films. Do you consciously avoid working in commercial cinema?
Not really. Of course, independent and middle-of-the-road cinema are my prime concern but I want to take up the challenge of doing meaningful commercial films as well. But the script and the character have to give me a kick.
In comparison to Tollywood, how is the state of cinema in Bangladesh?
I am emotional about Bangladesh and I can't be impartial. But I must say, Tollywood as an industry is more professional, maybe because of your big market and infrastructure. We have a big problem with theatres, projection system and postproduction facilities, but at the same time, we have a strong love for cinema, which covers other faults.Every year a large number of good films are being produced in Bangladesh and the government too has taken steps to support the industry. A new generation of directors and artistes are coming up and our passion for cinema and storytelling is marvelous.
Prosenjit Chatterjee has been trying to create a collaboration between Tollywood and the Bangladesh film industry. But discussions have never led to something concrete. What do you have to say about that?
Well, we all are trying hard.Both Bumbada (Prosenjit) and Goutamda (Ghose) tried their best and many of our filmmakers joined hands with them. But the ground reality is that on both sides, there are people to oppose the move for unknown reasons. They don't see that there are 350 million Bengalis around the globe and that is our audience. Bangla is the fifth-most widely spoken language in the world.
How do you balance your life, time and work between Bengal and Bangladesh?
Balancing is a difficult thing.When I am here, I miss working in Bangladesh and when I am there, I miss all the assignments and my friends here -what a situation! But I can't complain, as this is the life I have chosen.
On the personal front, what's happening in Jaya's life?
(Laughs) Nothing really, since my life is dedicated to films. I have no personal dreams as I dream of films and live in them.